Crystal River current., 1887-04-16
STORY OF MISS ANNA

6xV0 i Vg M1SD ANNA
1fem tho Nav Orleans Times Democrat.
Coffee had just been served, and the
xoom was filed with smoke. and that
genial after-glow OF pleasant, reminis-
cont talk that always follows q good
dinner where old friends have met, old
stories told. These men had been
comrades in war, had served under
the same flag, held the sane political
opinions and suffered the same losses.
II seemed pleasant now, after the
lapse OF years, to exchange experience
from an easy chair. with the best OF
cigars in ones mouth and q bottle Of
old wine at ones elbow. They IT,
1oyed it keenly in their sober, mid
dle-aged fashion, told their stories
with gusto, drank their toasts with
enthusiasm and listened to each
others talk with an eagerness of at.
tention and a freshness OF sympathy
ut once rs novel as it was delightful.
1nnumerable changes were rung upon
three themes. viz, "before the war;"
sEhe war" and "since the war"
We of the new generation can easily
Imagine the style OF talk.
Each had told his story, when our
host turned toward me and said:
~Well, Harrison, we are waiting for
your story"
Harrison smiled deprecatingly, gazed
into the fire. and then began the fol-
lowing, in his soft, Southern drawl:
Well, my story happened when we
were in Georgia, just outside OF Mar
ietta, and our mess consisted OF six
men-two Georgians, one Alabamian,
aVirginian, myself. and Creole, with
q beautiful face and tenor voice that
would charm the birds from the trees,
named, singularly enough, Orphee.
We became very tuneful set under
his inspiration, and exchanged mus.
ical Information vito much generosity.
Our favorite air was that famous
camp song, "Tenting on the Old Camp
Ground" You should have heard US
sing it. Orphee's tenor, my barytone,
and the three other fellows chiming in
softly. until the very pine trees stop
ped whispering to listen and the fire
burned softly in admiration, and war
somehow did not seem SO hard and
cruel. Well one dark night we were
sitting around the fire, discussing with
unwearied enthusiasm the prospects
OF the cause, when we heard irregular
footsteps outside, and paused in our
tall to listen.
"You can turn in here until further
&,c6ovo - eoSI our ct.oouxv
voice, and q minute afterward short,
thick-set man entered. He made an
apologetic little bow, shook himself
like O dog, and, taking off his large
wideawake, disclosed dark, square
face, with shy, dark eyes, blue black
hair, and q wide, firm mouth. He
smiled tenderly, giving an air of great
sweetness to an otherwise sombrefa face
He sat down on a blanket, Turkish
fashion. quietly hoped he was not
disturbing us. and then dropped his
eyes meditatively on the ground. 81.
1snce reigned. We were too disconso-
late to be polite, and SO listened un-
easily to the slow, indefinite stirrings
OF the wind through the trees, when
suddenly q new sound arose, as OF
stealthy, uncertain footsteps coming
nearer and nearer. The newcomer
pricked up his ears, and his face wore
an expression almost approaching
guilt: IA spy" was my first illogical
conclusion as rose to my feet and
waited expectantly. The flap Of the
tent stirred slightly, cautiously; the
wind rose and swept the darkened
landscape; the rain poured down with
q rush. as If to give tragic signifi-
cance to what was about to happen,
ksr- Il hnv hn Aon
was suddenly pushed aside, and a
goat walked in and went straight to
the stranger, who received her with an
indescribable tenderness of look and
gesture.
"Ar rum &C" "said the virginian under
his breath.
We all agreed, but contented our
selves with staring at the strange spec
tacle of a man and agoat fondling each
other with uncouth marks of affection.
Alter awhile we resumed our old lazy
positions and silently awaited further
developments. The little man signed
the goat to q remote spot. where ahe
lay down, and then turning toward
us said, as if taking up an unrepressed
thought: "You see, boys, could not
help it if Mamie would follow me.
have been good to her and she remem.
bers it. had to leave home secretly
to escape her, and all through the
journey felt like q scoundrel, and
now-well, here she is"
He stopped abruptly without wait.
ing for comment, and lay down with q
short good night. l lay awake several
hours after the others, wondering idly
as to the probable tie which bound
the new conner to the goat, but arriv-
ed at no solution. From that night
Parsons and his goat became sub
ject of never ending speculation to the
mess. He was very quiet and unob-
trusive never resenting, although con-